That Yes Man In The White House

The presidential veto is like a nuclear weapon: no one will be afraid of it unless he thinks it might actually be used. Ronald Reagan, who used to invite Congress to "make my day" by passing bills he didn't like, killed nearly 70 of them. The first President Bush, battling a Democratic Congress, racked up 44 vetoes, only one of them overridden.

But conservatives on Capitol Hill are becoming frustrated by President George W. Bush's reluctance to follow in Dad's footsteps. After nearly 16 months in office, Bush has not exercised a single veto. He has occasionally threatened one (on a...